Speaker for the Dead
by Akatsuki King
Summary: Revived. The battle with Sasuke leaves Naruto on the brink of death, but after a strange twist of fate he comes face to face with a certain god who has an interesting offer for him. SLIGHT Bleach Cross-over. Naruto x Harem
1. Blood and Seals

**Author's note**: Revised this chapter because I simply did not know where to go with it as it was. I have also decided that the pairing will be NarutoxHarem. You can vote to include, or exclude, any girl you would like to be a part of the harem. I do have a few i think will almost definately be part of the harem. There are three. If you can guess all three on your first try I will let you add any one girl you want to the harem.

I may use some techniques from my other story (Yokai Sharingan). If you find anything wrong grammatically or as part of the plot please tell me in your review. One more thing, I am in desprate need for a beta reader for this story. If your any good, leave a review or pm me.

* * *

Italicized – for emphasis.

**Bold **– demon or god talking.

* * *

Chapter One – Blood and Seals

What man's land is the graveyard?

It is the crowded home of ghosts, -

Wise and foolish shoulder to shoulder.

The King of the Dead claims them all;

Man's fate knows no tarrying

– Anonymous

A chilled wind ran over the near lifeless form of Uzumaki Naruto. It whistled into the raw, hacked up hole that he used to call an ear; its incessant groan emulated the hushed whispers of the villagers who hated him.

Tears sprung to his pristine azure eyes, running down his hole pocked, hemorrhaging cheeks.

So this is how I die.

And somehow, Naruto knew he was. Right here, in this battle between teammates, he was going to die. A failure in every definition of the word: a failed friend, a failed teammate, a failed ninja on a failed mission chasing after a failing dream.

Sasuke wasn't coming back.

A sob caught in is throat, and he felt all his hope drain out of him; like water slipping through grasped fingers. He would never become Hokage. Heck, he never even reached Chunin. The villagers still hated him and he would be remembered forever as the nuisance of the Hidden Leaf. Even Sakura would probably look back on the memory of him with distaste and could he really blame her?

No.

A wave crested, crashing into Naruto's defenseless body. For a moment he was completely submerged, surrounded by frigid cold. His back hit the bottom of the river and jagged stones stabbed into his flesh, ripping at his skin. He screamed in pain and the air left his lungs in the form of bubbles dancing to the surface. Finally, he bobbed back to the surface, the pain so great it was all he could do to stay conscious.

I deserve to die like this, and the sad part was he truly believed it. Why should someone who couldn't even save one friend be allowed to live? For the first time in his life Uzumaki Naruto gave up and darkness consumed his world.

"Naruto…" It was Sasuke's voice. It sounded almost reverent, regretful.

The Uchiha stood not even two meters away from the blond now. His stark white knuckles were clenched into a taut fist as he tried to deny the sight before him. Desperately trying to convince himself that this grotesque image was fraud. That wasn't really Naruto; that could _never_ be Naruto.

But it was.

Sasuke had seen death. He had seen the bloodied remains of hundreds. Loved ones, family, friends, but nothing could have prepared him for this. This thing he had brought upon his best friend. He wasn't even entirely sure how it had happened. All he remembered was his chidori piercing Naruto's heart, and then…

Boom.

It was like some invisible force had thrown him and Naruto in opposite directions. The explosion of, whatever it was, had broken at least three of Sasuke's ribs, and probably shattered the bone in his left arm – the arm that went through Naruto's chest. By the time he had managed to get back on his feet that thing was drifting in the water; a shredded piece of flesh, which held almost no semblance of his teammate. It looked more like a slab of raw hamburger that someone had jokingly slapped a wig on than anything else, but there was no mistaking those eyes, those blue, incandescent, yet lifeless eyes.

"I didn't want this." Sasuke whispered mutedly. "Never this."

He fell to his knees, teary eyes unable to look away from Naruto. The grief of knowing that he had done this to his best friend rose up in him. It forbade any movement, any flicker of the eyes, commanding him to look at what he had done. He had killed. No…he had done worse. This was not just murder. This was torture. It was slaughter. What he had done made him no better than his brother.

His mind momentarily succeeded by insanity, Sasuke screamed.

* * *

Sakura sat in the whitewashed halls of the Konoha hospital. Her olive green eyes glistened with the unshed tears of sadness that welled within her. She held them back the best she could, wiping at her eyes with the end of her sleeve every time one threatened to fall.

Apprehension hung in the air; an uncomfortable cloud of tension that acted almost like a poison, filled with all the unspoken questions that plagued her mind.

"Naruto…" She whispered the name to herself, lips quivering slightly. She glanced at the closed doors before her. Their clean, wooden surface betrayed nothing of the frantic scene that lay on the other side. Sakura would never forget the sight. The tear stained face of her sensei, Tsunade, frantically trying to fix what could not be undone. Even after he had been 'officially' proclaimed dead, Tsunade had kept on attempting to heal him, hands shaking as they glowed with a bright green luminescence.

Kakashi had been foolhardy enough to try and pull her away. That had ended with his head being the victim of a vicious backhand that sent him crashing through a wall. No one touched her after that, but all the genin had been shooed out by Kurenai and Asuma. Now they all sat in the hallway, silent except for the sobbing of Hinata.

An hour passed by, or at least it felt like it. In reality it may have been just a few minutes, but grief had a way of changing things, altering one's perspective of reality. Maybe this was all one big nightmare. One a intricately dark, gut wrenchingly messed up nightmare.

Sakura was pulled out of her thoughts and back to the present by the opening of the large, swinging, doors that barred them from Naruto. Two white and gray clad medics carried out an unconscious Tsunade, and Sakura almost burst into tears. Her last hope that something could be done to save Naruto was being carried out unconscious.

The taller of the two medics spoke in a solemn, sympathetic way, "She did all she could, but the boy's chakra coils had been ripped from his body through his flesh. It should have killed him instantly, but it seems he was somehow able to survive a full five minutes before dying. It is unbelievable. Your friend must have had a very strong will to live. Still, no medic can heal the dead, even the great Tsunade. She collapsed from chakra exhaustion trying to revive him. I am sorry for your loss, but if it's any constellation, Tsunade will no doubt have his name engraved into the memorial stone."

Silence followed his words. A pained, hopeless silence that was more powerful than any utterance could ever be.

"Can we see his body?" Sakura asked, her face ashen. The medic frowned and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but the body is under guard. Hokage-sama was under the hopes that the boy had a chance when she issued the orders, but orders are orders. You can not see him." The medics then turned and walked away, carrying the still unconscious Tsunade.

Guilt burned inside Sakura as the image of Naruto's mangled corpse flashed before her eyes.

"He's dead then." Silence. "He's really dead." Sakura was unsure who had said this; it may have even been her. She was to shocked to fully grasp what was happening.

Naruto, dead?

Never.

It was as impossible as the Sun not mounting the horizon every day. Just as the rise and fall of the tides, she had come to think of Naruto as an unstoppable force of nature. Not in that he was invincible, but in that she had never seen him give up. He was undefeatable in that aspect simply because he would never stop, he would never surrender.

To think she would never again see him smile, never again hear his goofy, carefree laugh or his obnoxious voice. She had enjoyed simply being around him, and though she would never admit it, his advances had always perked her failing confidence whenever Sasuke turned her down. She would miss him, terribly so.

"It's my fault," Shikamaru whispered. His head fell into his hands, lamely. "I was the team leader. I was responsible. I am responsible. The mission was a complete failure. Every member of my team was injured, and Naruto…" His voice trailed off.

Sakura looked at him, checks wet from tears shed for both the teammates she had lost that day.

"Shikamaru, it-it's not your fault. I'm the one that made him promise to bring Sasuke back. If-if I hadn't made him promise h-he could be alive right na-now." She closed her eyes, wiping away her tears with the back of her wrist.

* * *

When at last Naruto's eyes flickered open he stumbled to his feet. Or...not? His brain had surely sent signals to the rest of his body telling it to get up, but he felt like there was nothing left to respond. Wait a second, then how did he just move? He did didn't he? How could he even tell? There seemed to be no real up and down, or right and left for that matter. Given, there was space on either side of his head - what use to be his head - and above and below him, but who said that was up or down? It was as if he was trapped under water, blind and deaf to his surroundings.

What is this!?

Panic swarmed through his mind, confusion and fear overriding all rational thought. Questions bounced around the inside of his head like water in a red-hot frying pan.

Then, suddenly, inexplicitly, there was a light, a single, motionless, point of light. It was insignificant in the vast nothingness as a grain of rice adrift among the sea.

But it was there. Something was there.

He steadied himself. The light provided a road mark, something that made sense in a mass of chaos.

He had something to focus on. And wait a second, was growing bigger? Or maybe he was just moving closer? Maybe it was moving closer, whatever it was. Could you even use the word closer here? For something to be close, it had to be somewhere first, right? But there didn't seem to be any real 'here' to be in.

"**No, this isn't hell, if that's what you where thinking."**

The voice echoed through the darkness, and he heard it repeated many times, distorted in some way. He could feel the vibrations of it rippling though his body, showing him how very inconsistent it had become, more of an idea than an actual thing now.

"**This is the place in-between. It is neither heaven or hell, but what lies before. A void of sorts."**

The voice seemed to come from the light, and as he drew 'nearer' to it, he could see that the light was actually a figure. It was definably male, and humanoid, though it was larger than even Kyuubi in size. It seemed intangible, glowing with a sort of internal light and power. Long hair flowed down to its knees and a dagger was held between its teeth.

Around the figure, a sort of…presence hung. Not unlike a killing intent, but more concentrated. It was as if death itself was radiating from the ghost-like man.

"**I am Shinigami, god of death."**

Naruto's eyes widened, or they would of if they were still there. He hoped they were still there. But it made sense now; this place and how he wound up here. He was dead. Sasuke had killed him.

Sadness swept through him, rocking him to the very core of his being. He felt the anger of betrayal and the pain of losing a friend, and worse, the belief that he could of stopped it and failed. It hurt more than words can hope to describe.

Then something…tugged at him. Like something had grabbed him from behind (what would have been) his navel, and it didn't seem like it was gonna let go anytime soon.

Shinigami did not fail to notice, and he continued with haste.

"**Naruto, the seal you bare binds me to a purpose. The Fourth wanted to protect you; he wanted to give you life. Should the time come that you die, he had a plan set up.**

"**He used this seal to ensure you a second chance at life. I will repair you old body and send you back, though the Kyuubi's soul will remain here with me. You will become the chosen, the prophesied child, the Speaker for the Dead.**

"**Ah, the jutsu is running out. I have no time to answer questions Naruto. You no doubt feel the tug of the mortal realm pulling you back. I will have to explain things later. Explain the fullness of your title, and the duties that come with it. Do you understand?"**

Naruto tried to speak, but how can you speak without a tongue, or a mouth for that matter? He was left no time to wonder on the question though, as he felt the same jerk pulling him. And this time, it didn't stop.

Like a trout caught by the hook of an excited fisherman, he was being reeled in. Then it stopped, suddenly, and he felt himself collide against something.

The first thing he became aware of was a sound. It was consistent, played over and over in the background. It was a steady thumping sound, like someone was pounding on a door. Well, more like a drum really. It was strangely familiar.

Then he recognized it: the sound of a heart, his heart. Suddenly the rest of his senses caught up with him.

Cool stone lay beneath him. Or was it tile? He drew in a shaky breath, it was almost like he was breathing for the first time, and then he realized that in a way it was his first time. The cool air rushed into his mouth, filing his lungs.

Yet it remained dark, why? Straining his eyes he fought to see even a glimmer of light, a shimmer of color, but he only saw darkness. About to panic he realized that his eyes were still closed. Had he really become that stupid? Mentally kicking himself he tried to open his eyelids, but they felt as if they had been painted in lead and he only managed to open them a crack. A dull, steady light rushed in, but even such a weak light was too much for his eyes and caused him to see colors.

Reflexively, he brought his arm in front of his face to block the light, but only succeeded in setting his muscles on fire, or at least it felt like it. Screaming in pain he tried to grab his injured arm with his other. As soon as he moved it, it burst into a torrent of pain as well. Curling into a ball he was overcome with the onslaught of complete pain. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and flinched away from it screaming.

"Send for Tsunade, Shizune, any medic! Naruto is alive!"

That voice…Kakashi? A second later he felt a hand on his forehead. It felt cool to the touch. A numbing sensation spread through his body, and the pain started to ebb. Opening his eyes again, Naruto saw Shizune bending over him and Kakashi peering over her should at him. Initially he only felt confusion. It had all happened so fast.

Struggling he rolled onto his side, but even that small amount of exertion left him winded. "I can barely move," Naruto croaked, "and my mouth is really, really dry. What's a guy got to do to get some water around here?" Naruto whispered hoarsely. He was vaguely aware of Shizune wrapping her arms around him and whimpering, "you're alive! You're alive!" before he slipped into blackness.

* * *

Ichiraku ramen had never seen a sadder day. The remaining members of the rookie nine along with Lee, Tenten, and Neji and the sand siblings were gathered there. They sat upon their various stools and chairs, slowly eating away at the remnants of their food.

Ayame was on the verge of tears as she served hot noodles to the grieving group, and Hinata had past verge and was in full-blown sob mode at the moment.

Hinata's tears traced the side of her face, running in tiny rivulets down her flawless cheeks and elegant nose. They dripped steadily into her untouched, cold ramen. It was misu pork, Naruto's favorite, she remembered. She couldn't bring herself to eat any of it, so she just sat there, hunched over, staring into her reflection in the murky broth.

Naruto. How could you die?

Naruto, the unbreakable will, the strongest boy she knew, her only inspiration… Another sob racked her body.

Why hadn't she told Naruto how she felt when she had the chance? God, she should have been braver! All the 'if only's bounced around the inside of her skull as she found herself nearing the breaking point. What chance would she have ever had with Naruto anyway? He was to kind, to brave for her. Had she ever mustered enough strength to tell him, she doubted it would have ever ended with him returning her feelings. Yet, there was always that question, that little voice in the back of her head that begged to differ. Naruto had only ever wanted to be loved. Perhaps…

If only you were alive I would… I would…tell you.

Naruto.

With that she broke down into a fresh batch of tears.

"Excuse me." An overly loud voice said from behind her.

Hinata turned around in her chair to face the speaker. It was an Anbu. He turned his masked face, as if looking at everyone in the room. When he stopped, Hinata could have sworn he was staring right at Sakura.

"Kakashi said you might be here. He gave me a message to deliver, said you would understand."

The Anbu now had the attention of everyone in the room. What would be so important a message that an Anbu had to deliver it? Why wouldn't Kakashi just deliver it himself?

"He wants you to go room 212 immediately. He says that's one less name that needs to be carved into the memorial stone." The Anbu bowed, the lights casting his white crow mask into shadow, before he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Nobody moved at first. Was is some kind of trick? Some kind of sick joke? Naruto was dead, wasn't he? Hinata's heart started pounding faster and faster. Suddenly she felt hope. She had a chance.

* * *

**Author's note: **Had this idea for a while and finally got it down. What do you think? Again, this is a Naru-Harem story. Again, the actual members are undecided, so feel free to vote (though I do have some idea as to what I would like). Flames are welcome as long as you back them up a bit. Predictions welcome. Also the next chapters will be longer so don't worry about this one being a bit short.


	2. The Kill

**Author's note**: **_REWROTE CHAPTER ONE_** simply because I did not know where to go with it as it was. It is vastly different (more so near the end) and I recommend you re-read it. Luckily for all of you, it is very short.

As mentioned last chapter, the pairing was changed to NarutoxHarem. You can vote to include, or exclude, any girl you would like to be a part of the harem. Also, I may use some techniques from my other story (Yokai Sharingan), but it is doubtful at best. I don't like reusing the same stuff in different stories. It's just not my style.

If you find anything grammatically wrong or any holes in the plot please tell me in your review, or just private message me if you have the time, but please still leave a review. Hope you enjoy. Cheers!

* * *

_Italicized _– for emphasis or thoughts.

**Bold **– demon or god talking.

Chapter Two – Seals

* * *

It is not death, that sometime in a sigh  
This eloquent breath shall take its speechless flight;  
That sometime these bright stars, that now reply  
In sunlight to the sun, shall set in night;  
That this warm conscious flesh shall perish quite,  
And all life's ruddy springs forget to flow;  
That thoughts shall cease, and the immortal sprite  
Be lapped in alien clay and laid below;  
It is not death to know this,-but to know  
That pious thoughts, which visit at new graves  
In tender pilgrimage, will cease to go  
So duly and so oft,-and when grass waves  
Over the past-away, there may be then  
No resurrection in the minds of men.

~ Thomas Hood

"He's…alive." She said aloud; as if this would make it seem real, make it make more sense. It didn't. All she knew was a dead boy was no longer dead. How could someone whom had his skin peeled off, his flesh torn to pieces and his chakra system ripped out, come back to life with marginal damage? It was amazing, a miracle, and it made no sense. It was an impossibility.

But it had happened.

There was the proof. Every bit of him was back. And yet, he had changed. The same wild, uncontrollable, golden locks of hair splayed themselves across the pillow under his head, but it had grown longer. The glimmering strands now easily reached the top his shoulders. His face also seemed older; not by much, but it was leaner, more angular. It had lost that childish roundness, and his whisker marks now framed his face in a way that made him seem more animal than man.

_This is Naruto?_

Sakura held her breath as her eyes trailed down to his chest. It was heavily bandaged, as was his left forearm. His right arm was currently resting in a light blue-sling and arm-immobilizer (a strap that ties onto the sling and wraps around the chest) that held the appendage tight to his body. Still, he was alive. He was…alive.

_How?_

Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, threatening to fall.

_How?_

Sakura stepped closer, feeling the need to touch the sleeping blond to make sure he was real. She had to be sure this was no dream, that she hadn't lost her mind.

_How!_

The reassuring rise and fall of Naruto's chest was almost hypnotic. It was the difference between life and death. Sakura suddenly had the urge to hug him, to rest her head against his chest and hear the sound of his heartbeat. Just to feel the life in him would mean so much.

She never got that chance.

"Naruto!" Hinata screamed, knocking Sakura out of her reverie.

The blue-eyed girl was unable to hold back her tears as she saw the bandages that covered her not so secret crush. Before anyone could even blink she had wrapped Naruto in a tight embrace, sobbing into his shoulder.

_Oh, no she didn't!_ Inner Sakura yelled. Wait, what? It's not like she _cared _that Hinata was hugging Naruto. It wasn't a big deal or anything.

_Right?_

Then why did she feel so…what was this? Was she just being protective of her teammate? No, Hinata wouldn't hurt Naruto, and it wasn't exactly a big surprise that she liked him either. It had been blatantly obvious since the academy. So then, what was she feeling? Was this jealousy? No, it couldn't be. Jealous? Ha! No, no, of course she wasn't jealous. She didn't _like_ Naruto.

Did she…?

Sakura tore her eyes away from the two, looking down at her fingers that were anxiously worrying the hem of her shirt. How could she have become so attached to someone without even realizing it?

"You're alive." Hinata whispered into Naruto's shoulder, her muffled voice barely audible even in the utter silence of the crowded room. Naruto was back! He was alive! _All that matters is that you came back. You came back._

Kakashi smiled through his mask. Naruto and Hinata were either very close friends, or his student was more of a heartthrob than he gave him credit for.

"How was he revived?" Shikamaru asked, giving Kakashi a steely gaze. The young genius wasn't one to question whatever being or deity had mercifully saved him from a lifetime of guilt, but this was some serious jutsu they were talking about. The only person from the hidden leaf capable of completely resurrecting the dead was Orochimaru, and he wasn't exactly on their side.

Quite the opposite really.

"It's classified info, you'd have to ask Hokage-sama. But I'd advise against you prying into this Nara-san." The jonin said without looking up from his book. _So classified even I don't know how it happened, or Tsunade for that matter. She better wake up soon. _Kakashi added in his head.

Shikamaru nodded. That was understandable. Often times the details of things this big wouldn't be disclosed to anyone but the higher-ups involved. He was just glad that he didn't have the death of a friend and teammate hanging over his head.

"There isn't much serious damage." Shizune said from her position at the foot of Naruto's bed. Everyone turned to look at her, interested in what she had to say about Naruto's condition. "His body is just going to be incredibly tender, and sore, for a few days. I expect that once Tsunade inspects him he will be released, if she finds nothing else to be wrong that is.

"As for his slight changes in appearance. Well, when he was healing his body went into overdrive. So many cells were being used, created, and dying that all the dead cells had now where to go. Since fingernails and hair are both made up of dead cells, they started to grow rapidly (they trimmed his nails already). Surprisingly the rest of his body hasn't aged very much, just a few months or so. Luckily that's not enough to cause any long lasting side affects." Shizune added with a smile, happy to give good news.

Sakura frowned. That kind of healing was unheard of outside of Tsunade-sama's personal jutsu, and even she could only perform it on herself. Something about this was off. She could feel it.

* * *

_Drip_

_Drip_

_Drip_

Naruto's heavily lidded eyes flickered open. He ways lying on his back, half draped in the darkness of a hallway. Or…sewer? Those stained, yellow tiles, and the pipes that sprouted from the cracked walls, such décor he had only ever seen in one place. A place that wasn't suppose to exist anymore.

Naruto rolled onto his side, and, unfortunately, right into a puddle. _God I hate my life_. Frowning he pushed himself up with lethargic slowness before shaking his hair to get rid of some of the wetness.

"You have such sad eyes Naruto-kun." The voice, definitely masculine, came from behind him. Naruto spun quickly, easing into a defensive stance. Whoever it was had been able to get within fifteen feet of him without Naruto detecting there presence.

"Why so sad?" The figure said in a mocking tone, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You're not supposed to be here." Naruto said sternly. How was this guy in the seal? Shouldn't it be gone? Shinigami said he was keeping the Kyuubi!

"Neither should you." The boy replied as he started to walk towards Naruto at a steady pace. Naruto tensed, changing his stance to one that would accommodate for a sudden close range attack. The young man kept on walking, only to stop right in front of Naruto, not even an arm's length away. Only now was Naruto able to make out his face through the dim lighting.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked, his stance loosening up slightly.

The young man smirked, just as he had done so many times before. Laughing, the teammate-turned-traitor ran his pale fingers through unruly black hair, sweeping a stray strand back into place.

"So the idiot remembers my name. Surprising considering your short attention span."

Naruto's lip quivered. Was this some form of gen-jutsu? Those eyes, that hair, it was just like him. Could it be some sort of henge? Was it even possible to perform jutsu in here? Was it really Sasuke? How could he get in here?

"Tell me Naruto." Sasuke said, his voice in an almost lighthearted tone. "How is it that the village vermin manages to hold his own against one of the last Uchiha?"

Sasuke cocked his head to one side, giving Naruto an almost jokingly quizzical look. "I should of known you were more demon than anything else. Mindless, even if you did wield great power, you couldn't control it. You hesitated to even use it!" Sasuke's voice had become more angry than anything else now, and his demeanor followed the change in character. His eyes narrowed, and his fists balled as his black eyes glared darkly into Naruto's eyes.

"You truly were a baka, to have all the power of the Kyuubi sealed within your navel, and none of the nerve to use it. Not that it matters now. It's gone, and you're left with nothing. Without its power, you wouldn't have been able touch me."

Naruto could think of what to say. If this was Sasuke, not only did he know about Kyuubi, but he was also mocking him in a way that his teammate never had before. He had called him a demon, a mindless beast, just like all the villagers. Naruto's fist clenched, this couldn't be his friend. Even when Sasuke killed him, he had told Naruto that he had become like a brother to him. They was no way he would act like this now.

Sasuke's black eyes grew a shade darker as a new layer of contempt shadowed his face. "Tell me Naruto, how does it feel to be killed by your best frien-?" Naruto grabbed the decidedly fake-Sasuke by the throat and pushed him up against the wall.

"I don't know who you are, or why you're doing this, but I won't stand here and listen to your SHIT!" Naruto growled into its ear. It only made him grin wider, as if he didn't care that his windpipe was being crushed.

Sasuke smirked, before his apathetic black eyes swirled red, forming a Sharingan that Naruto had only seen once before.

Naruto let go of his throat and backed away slowly, his breath catching in his throat.

"No…" Naruto whispered, unable look away from those dark crimson eyes. _That can't be..._ Naruto thought to himself, still back peddling until he was up against the opposing wall. Those eyes were the same as that man's. They were the same as Sasuke's older brother, Itachi.

The words Jiraiya had told him not so long, after their encounter with Akatsuki, drifted back to him. _In order to gain the Mangekyo Sharingan, you must first kill your best friend._

This, could it be, the real Sasuke?

The Uchiha grinned, rubbing the bruised skin on his neck. "Our friendship was nothing more than a necessity. I needed to grow close to someone in order to gain these eyes. In the end, you were nothing more than cannon fodder on my way to my brother." Sasuke began to close in on Naruto again, this time pushing him against the wall.

"And now that I have them, you are merely a loose thread_._"

"No, you, that, it, it can't be true… You're my friend! My teammate!" Naruto said in earnest, desperately trying to convince himself that this was a dream, a nightmare.

Naruto could feel Sasuke's breath, hot and humid, against his skin. The Uchiha shifted his head so that his lips were right next to Naruto's ear.

"Its time I free myself of such bonds." Sasuke whispered before pulling away to look Naruto in the eyes, "You'd only tie me down." The sound of chirping met his ears, but Naruto didn't seem to care. He didn't even resist it as Sasuke drove the Chidori straight into his chest.

Sasuke looked down at him with those eyes; those cursed eyes, and tugged his bloodied hand out of Naruto's chest.

"Pathetic."

Naruto slowly slid down the wall, before falling forward. He threw his arms out, catching himself just before his face hit the floor.

_I failed._ He thought to himself. Now on all fours, with out the will or strength to move, he could feel himself slipping as his blood welled up upon the floor.

_I failed… _The taste of bile and blood rose up in his throat and he held back the urge to throw-up. As black began to cloud the edges of his vision, a single thought popped into in his mind.

_I broke my promise…_ It nagged at him, as if someone was poking him over and over. _I broke my promise to you._ The poking was more like a shove now, as if asking him how he had forgotten something so important. _I'm sorry… Sakura…_

It erupted in his mind like a bonfire as a list of names entered his head. Sakura, Iruka, Kakashi, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Hinata, Shino, Kiba, Konohamaru… The list grew long and longer in his mind. These were his precious people, and he had let them down. Sasuke had left Konoha. He wasn't coming back_._ He had left them for Orochimaru.

Anger sparked within him._ If that snake gains his eyes then Konoha… all my precious people...  
_

Naruto didn't know where the strength came from, but he felt himself fighting back the darkness that threatened to overwhelm him.

_I can't let Konoha fall because of one friend. Even if he was the closest thing I've ever had to a brother, the people of the hidden leaf must be protected! Such is the duty of the Hokage!_

His eyes whipped open, his hand delving into the pouch at his waist. Warm fingers met the cold steel of a kunai, clasping around its smooth handle and whipping it out. His whole body shot forward as his other hand grabbed his best friend by the hair. His blade met Sasuke's already tender throat, lacerating the jugular aorta. In the same swift motion he dragged the blade across the front of his throat and smashed his knee into the Sasuke's back. The Uchiha flew forwards, landing heavily against the floor.

Naruto stood up shakily, his strength slowly returning as the his friend's blood drained out of and mixed with puddles of water.

"I'm sorry." Naruto whispered, his voice sad yet strong.

Sasuke's body jerked for a few seconds before it stilled. Even as his blood pooled out in a diluted halo, Naruto felt the pain in his chest subside. He looked down to find his shirt and body unmarked. The chidori... had it all been genjutsu? Looking over at his fallen teammate's body, he watched as it slowly fell apart into a bloody mist, leaving nothing behind save for Naruto's kunai.

"Sasuke..." Naruto whispered the name to himself. Even though the encounter had been an illusion, one thing remained clear. He had been willing to kill Sasuke. Even as he tried to deny it, he knew that should he have to choose between his friends life or the safety of Konoha, the choice was obvious, even if it was difficult. Should Orochimaru gain the Sharingan, then Konoha would be the first place the snake would strike. With the power of the Mangekyo behind him, what would befall all his friends? The ones who looked to him for protection? They, who trusted him, who hadn't betrayed him. How could he betray all of them for one traitor?

Naruto shook his head. He still had time. He could still save Sasuke. Orochimaru couldn't take his body immidiately.

_I will find you Sasuke. And when the time comes, either save or end you._

Blinking away witheld tears, Naruto examined the area. There was no doubt; this was definitely the seal. Perhaps it remained even though it was now empty? Naruto frowned at the thought. If he had somehow stumbled into the seal, how would he get out? Usually he just sort of willed to be out and it happened, but that wasn't working.

Shinigami said he would provide answers after Naruto returned, but this didn't seem to be giving him any. Was this some sort of test? Had he passed or failed?

"HEY!" Naruto yelled. "Is anyone there?" His voice echoed through the silence, to be greeted with such. Naruto grimaced. If this was a test, he got the feeling that it wasn't over yet.

_What do I do now? _Naruto wondered. Not that there was a lot of options. He could either sit here and do nothing, or keep on moving. Swiveling his head, Naruto looked around. The hall only went to ways. Both led into darkness and neither showed any signs of turning or branching off.

_Here goes nothing_.

* * *

"This can't be..."

"Tsunade-sama?" Shizune questioned a worried edge in her heightened voice. She had only been able to perform a brief examination of Naruto's unconscious body, had she missed something! It would be horrible! Not to mention how Sakura and the others would react if they lost Naruto again, in the same day no less!

Most of them had left by now, kicked out by an overjoyed Tsunade wanting to perform an examination of his body to see how it was healing. No doubt a few of them were still lurking in the hospital somewhere, waiting to see Naruto when she was done.

"His body is, this makes no sense, but its physiology is being changed. His chakra system was ripped right out, and yet even as I examine him, it's being reconstructed." Tsunade hands practically dripped with chakra as they hovered just inches above Naruto's prone body.

"But, it's not the same. Already his chakra system holds 370 chakra points, when it should only contain 361! And its still being rebuilt. His chakra gates aren't even in the correct places! How is his body still functioning?" Tsunade voice was growing louder with each word, elevated by both worry and disbelief. Her left hand moved over his navel, and froze. Her whole body tensed, and her head swung to look at his stomach. The chakra on her left hand dissipated, and pulled at the bandages to give her an unobstructed view of his abdomen. The familiar black seal inked itself across Naruto's taunt skin, looking as cryptic and foreign as always, only now, five new symbols had intertwined themselves with the rest of the seal.

"What is that Tsunade? What happened to the seal?" Shizune hugged her clipboard closer to her chest, her eyes locked on Tsunade's now trembling left hand.

"The Kyuubi, it's chakra, I can find no trace, how? It's just – gone!" Tsunade's words had come out a jumbled mess, but had made one thing very clear to Shizune.

The Kyuubi was no longer locked within Naruto's seal.

Her eyes wide with shock and fear, Shizune took a step back. "The Kyuubi is…free?"

Tsunade closed her eyes, and once again her left hand shone with the green light of her jutsu. "I'm not sure. The seal is completely intact, but these new symbols, it looks as if the soul of Kyuubi has been removed. Transferred somewhere else. And the former seal seems to have been used as a catalyst to create a new seal. But since I can't find any remnant of the Kyuubi's power in it, I have no idea what it was created for."

Tsunade continued examining his body, moving her hand up toward his chest and down his arms. She began to notice a pattern in the system. Small clusters of chakra points were forming near vital organs, and on major appendages such as the hands and feet. Most consisted of five chakra points in close succession, formed in a sort of circular pattern.

"What is happening to you Naruto?" Tsunade frowned as another cluster of chakra points grew, this time near his heart, causing his chakra to fluctuate and pulse strangely. Tsunade was at a loss. What could she do to help Naruto if she couldn't even understand the most fundamental aspect of his reborn body – his chakra system?

Forming a blade of chakra on one of her fingertips, Tsunade began cutting off Naruto's bandages. With all the bandages removed, Naruto's body seemed even more foreign than before. It was as if Naruto had stumbled into a tattoo parlor and barely escaped with his life.

Strange seals were inked in apparently random places of his body, some where even more complex than the one on his navel.

"Shizune, send for Jiraiya. I'll need him to analyze these symbols. Get Kakashi and Hiashi as well, the Sharingan and Byakugan may prove useful in figuring out what's happening to his chakra system."

"Hai Hokage-sama!" Shizune belted out, followed by a quick bow, before she practically ran out of the room.

* * *

**Author's note**: Sorry it took so long to update guys! Been really busy, and well, I had this sitting on my computer waiting to be finished but with the new year and all I just figured I would post it as is so you could all have something to sate your desire for updates.

As mentioned last chapter and earlier **Author's note**, the pairing was changed to NarutoxHarem. You can vote to include, or exclude, any girl you would like to be a part of the harem.

Again, If you find anything grammatically wrong or any holes in the plot please tell me in your review, or just private message me if you have the time. Hope you enjoy. Happy 2009! Don't forget to reveiw. Cheers!


	3. Will of Fire

**Author's Note:** Enjoy the story. Sorry it took so long everyone.

* * *

_Italicized _– for emphasis or thoughts.

**Bold **– demon or god talking.

Chapter Two – Seals

* * *

...But see, amid the mimic rout  
A crawling shape intrude!  
A blood-red thing that writhes from out  
The scenic solitude!  
It writhes!- it writhes!- with mortal pangs  
The mimes become its food,  
And seraphs sob at vermin fangs  
In human gore imbued.  
Out- out are the lights- out all!  
And, over each quivering form,  
The curtain, a funeral pall,  
Comes down with the rush of a storm,  
While the angels, all pallid and wan,  
Uprising, unveiling, affirm  
That the play is the tragedy, "Man,"  
And its hero the Conqueror Worm.

~ Edgar Allan Poe: The Conqueror Worm

* * *

Naruto stood hunched over, hands on his knees, he tried to catch his breath. Beads of luke-warm sweat ran down the bridge of his nose only to land among one of the many puddles that filled this crack ridden place. He had been running for hours, but the hallway still stretched endlessly before him

_Damn, this place is a dump!_Naruto thought to himself. The further he ran, the more decrepit it became. Black mold clung to the ceiling and the cheesy yellow walls, while green algae sprouted out of seemingly random water filled cracks, making the floor slippery and dangerous to run on.

Cr_eeeaak_.

_What the...what was that?_ Eyes squinting, he scanned the darkness that lay before him, trying to find the source of the sound.

Cr_eeeeaaak_.

The sound was louder and longer that time. He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach as he realized it was coming from the very walls and floor.

_Squeeeeeaaakk, _CRACK!

"Oh shi-" Naruto started, just as the dilapidated floor caved in, and he fell into the darkness below.

And splash landed in freezing water.

Naruto gasped when his head broke the surface, only to be pulled back under by the current. Wet and heavy, the water almost seemed to be grabbing on to him, pulling him deeper into its murky depths.

_Shit!_

In a matter of moments he found himself in a place with no light. He couldn't see or hear or breath, and the weight of the water was so great he felt as if he was being crushed under a ton of rocks.

And he kept on sinking. Unable to tell up from down amid the empty blackness, he didn't even know which direction to try and swim. It was hopeless.

Then Naruto felt it, something brush against his shoulder. Not knowing what it was, but aware that he would die if he didn't find a way out, he grabbed onto it. No sooner did he do so than the current did all it could to rip him from it, but he did not let go. Straining, he pulled himself closer, fingers tightening around its smooth surface. It felt like…a pole?

Instinctively he began to put one hand above the other and pull, climbing it much like a rope towards what he hoped would be the surface. As he did so the water became even more agitated, whipping at his face and clothing, frothing madly.

He could see a light in the distance. A faint glow, it was barely visible amidst the black water. Encouraged knowing he was going the right way, Naruto began moving faster, but the closer he got, the more and more the current fought to keep him, to pull him back under.

He felt himself growing weak from lack of oxygen; he would pass out soon. But the light! It was growing brighter. If he could just hold out for just a while longer…

He felt his mind falling away. He groggily fought to stay conscious, to climb higher, the light was right there, but his numbed fingers couldn't hold on, and one of his hands lost its grip entirely. His single hand tightened its grip on the metal rod as he fought to hold on.

_I wont give in!_

Gritting his teeth, Naruto whipped his other arm forward, once again grabbing onto the rod.

_I will never stop moving forward, no matter what challenges I face, that is my ninja way!_

His strength having long since been pulled out of him by the cruel, cold waters, it was his will alone that moved him now. The current angrily smashed into him, again and again, but he hardly noticed it anymore.

_I will grow stronger. I will save Sasuke. I will become Hokage. And I _will _get the _hell _out of here._

With one final, mighty heave, Naruto triumphantly pulled himself up and out of the water. Coughing, he drew one victorious breath after the other.

"Heh, heh." Naruto laughed tiredly.

_Now where the hell did I fall?_

Lifting his head, Naruto looked up at the ceiling, or where the ceiling should have been. The light he had seen earlier was...the sun? Radiant golden beams peaked out from behind a cloud lazily passing by it.

"What the-?"

He was no longer in the yellow tiled sewers, instead he found himself amid a black sea, stretching as far as he could see any all directions. White, rectangular pillars grew from out of its depths. All different heights, and as big around as the Hokage building, they reached for the sky; massive monoliths carved from crumbling stone.

"Naruto…" A loud whisper, the single utterance barely reached Naruto's ears.

Naruto looked up searchingly. A shadowy silhouette stood atop the nearest pillar, the sun to his back.

"You can let go of the rod now." The figure called out before jumping off his perch to land upon the water, sending small ripples across its surface.

Naruto could easily see the man now. His face was one Naruto had seen many times before, carved into the cliff that towered above Konoha. For once in his life, Naruto was at a loss for words.

Loosening his grip, Naruto let go of the pole to find he could stand upon the surface of the water, even though he was not using any chakra to do so.

"You, you're the, aren't you-" Naruto stuttered out, his eyes growing ever wider.

"I altered the seal to bring you back to life should you die, and bring you here. Though I half hoped you would never have to have to use it. I suppose I shouldn't complain though. After all, I'm pretty happy I got the chance to see you all grown up, Naruto."

Naruto's took a step back, surprised.

"You, you know my name. Why do you, the Forth Hokage, know my name?"

"I had to give my own son a name, after all." Minato said, smiling.

"Son?" Naruto asked, his mind numb. The word felt foreign on his lips. "Then I'm…" He trailed off, unable to process the situation. Tears began to well up in his eyes.

"Yes. I guess the Third and Jiraiya didn't tell you anything. I expected as much. I made a lot of enemies when I was alive; I lived through the bloodiest war in living history after all. If people found out you were my son it could have been dangerous for you."

Naruto's hands formed shaking fists at his sides, clenshed so tight his knuckles turned bone white. He didn't know whether to be happy or angry, so he just started saying whatever poped into his head.

"How could you seal the Kyuubi into me! Into your own son!" Naruto yelled, wiping his tears on his sleeve. "Everyone hated me! I had to try so hard just to get people to look at me! I was all alone until I met Iruka! And then I was met Kakashi-sensei and Sakura and Sasuke, and we were a team and became friends! But then we had to fight Zabuza, and Haku, and they almost killed us! Then Orochimaru killed old man Hokage, and, and Sasuke-" Before Naruto could finish he found himself wrapped in an embrace.

"From the first time your mother and I held you in our arms we knew that you were special. You're the best of both of us. The only reason I sealed the Kyuubi within you was to help you become strong, because we would not be there to teach you ourselves." Minato pulled away, and Naruto could see tears running down his face as well.

"I'm sorry, Naruto."

* * *

"Hiashi, what can you see?" Jiraiya asked, tearing his eyes from the seals etched upon Naruto's skin just long enough to glance at the Hyuuga.

Hiashi grimaced, pale fingers forming a ram seal as the younger man focused more and more chakra into his eyes.

"His chakra is attacking his body on a cellular level. Thousands of microscopic, chakra induced explosions are sparking off every second, forcing his pathways to expand as chakra rips through them. It should be killing him, but instead it seems the ripples of chakra caused by the explosions are merging to form highly dense, slow moving waves that are not only healing his body, but creating new pathways within his coils. I've never seen anything like it."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow at that. New chakra pathways? A human's chakra coils are fully shaped by the age of one, and while they never strop growing larger, forming new pathways was something that was physically impossible.

Turning back to Naruto, Jiraiya began tracing the seal that inked its way across the boys abdomen. Blacker than black, the symbols almost seemed to absorb the very light projected upon them. Cool to the touch, Jiraiya could sense them pulsing with internal power. But it was not that that unnerved him, rather it was the familiarity that hung about the symbols, like he had seen them before.

"Jiraiya?" Tsunade whispered. The toad user didn't register her voice, to caught up in his thoughts.

_Where have I seen these markings before?_ His eyes drifted over the different seals, until he saw it, right above the Eight Trigrams Seal.

"Jiraiya?" Tsunade asked again, her voice more insistent this time, determined to receive the answers she so desired.

He found himself frozen, staring blankly at the seal, unable to pull himself away. That symbol, that mark. It was impossible. For Naruto to have it placed upon him would mean-

"Jiraiya!" Tsunade yelled this time, shocking Jiraiya out of his thoughts. "Do you have any idea what these marking mean?"

Jiraiya stared at her dumbly for a few moments, before nodding. "I have some idea. This seal," he pointed, "is a variation of the seal Minato used to preform The Flying Thunder God technique. I'm guessing Minato used it as a crux to create a time and space ninjutsu capable of pulling Naruto's soul out of death and back into his body."

Tsunade looked skeptically down that the seal. While it did bear a striking resemblance to the one Minato use to use, she found herself doubting Jiraiya's conclusion.

"Is that even possible? How can you make such a ludicrous assumption based on a seal you're don't entirely understand? Such a technique would take years to create, and he would have had to make it virtually up on the spot! Even Mina-"

Jiraiya raised his hand, cutting Tsunade off, "But he _had _been working on a jutsu capable of doing just that. But only as means to an end. Our true intention was to recreate _Fullbring_, the ninjutsu ability invented by Sage of the Six Paths. After years of trying to recreate the ability, we theorized that it was impossible for anyone to use without first entering death. Minato must have created this time and space jutsu for just that purpose. I never thought he finished it, I mean after our last discovery we realized that even if we could bring the person back to life they still wouldn't be able to use Fullbring, so I had given up on the project."

"What are you talking about? You're not making any sense!" Tsunade gritted her teeth in frustration, clenching and unclenching her fists as she resisted the urge to beat the answers out of him.

_So you found a way._

Jiraiya had always assumed Minato had given Naruto the Kyuubi so he could use its chakra as a weapon, but that wasn't it at all. Pushing a few stray hairs out of Naruto's face, Jiraiya found himself smiling the first real smile he had in a long time.

"I guess it wouldn't make sense unless you understood exactly how the soul works. Let me explain; half a human soul resides within death, and the other half resides with in life. In order to use _Fullbring_, you need to have both the yin (life), and yang(death) halves of your soul. That's why dying is necessary, so you can merge moth halves of your soul. But a normal human body can't hold both the yin and yang parts of a soul, which is why every method of resurrection results in only the yin half being restored to the body. That's why I gave up. I figured, if the Second Hokage's own ressurection technique was unable to bring back the entire soul, then it was simply impossible. But Minato never stopped studying, trying to find a way. My guess is he sealed the Kyuubi within Naruto in order to overcome the normal limitations of a human's body. The Kyuubi's immense power not only strengthened Naruto, but prepared him to house greater power. When Naruto crossed into death the Kyuubi was pulled out of him, creating a void, a hollow where it's spirit use to reside. Minato sealed the yang half of Naruto's soul into this hollow. That is why Naruto's chakra system is changing so drastically, that's why he has an increasing amount of chakra points, his body is being altered to fit the second half of his soul."

* * *

"So where are we anyway?" Naruto asked, his feet dangling off the edge of one of the many stone monoliths.

"This is a place in the seal created by your soul." Minato said from behind Naruto.

"What do you mean, my soul? And what was with that water earlier. I mean, I almost drowned down there!" Naruto got to his feet, turning to face his father.

"_Here,_" Minato started, "was created by you. It is who you are. The white pillars represent the many obstacles that you have had to overcome in your life. The sun represents the unyielding love you have for your friends. And the black ocean represents the despair you felt when Sasuke killed you. After you overcame that despair it was no longer able to pull you down, which is why you can now walk upon it's surface."

Naruto frowned, thinking back to when he had been trapped in the water. "When I was drowning, there was this metal bar in the water. I wouldn't have made it out if I hadn't grabbed onto it. What was that?"

"It is a rod of iron. It represents your unbreakable will. Even in the deepest despair your will remains strong, climbing ever upward." Minato smiled. That very rod was perhaps the most impressive piece of decor to furnish Naruto's seal. Minato could sense great power contained within its metal frame.

_Naruto, you possess a will unlike anything Konoha has ever known. A will of fire._

"But enough questions for now. It's time for me to explain to you the real reason I sealed the Kyuubi into you. It's time for me to teach you how to use _Fullbring_."

* * *

**Author's Note: **I know this chapter was sort of anti climatic, just bare with me. I'm trying to set up important plot devices within the story. It was painful to write, and probably painful to read.

Tell me what you think. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, cheers!

**I need a beta reader.** Message me if you are interested.

* * *

Bleach Spoilers:

If you have read the latest bleach chapter you'll know what Fullbring is. Just know, that I will most likely take the general idea of how Fullbring works and warp it into something very different. It just served as an inspiration for this chapter.


	4. The Proposal

**Author's Note**: I'm trying to publish chapters more regularly. As a result, it might seem a little bit rushed. If you notice any mistakes let me know.

I hope you enjoy the story.

* * *

_Italicized _– for emphasis or thoughts.

**Bold** – demon or god talking.

Chapter Two – Seals

* * *

To fear death, my friends, is only to think ourselves wise, without being wise: for it is to think that we know what we do not know. For anything that men can tell, death may be the greatest good that can happen to them: but they fear it as if they knew quite well that it was the greatest of evils. And what is this but that shameful ignorance of thinking that we know what we do not know?

- Socrates

* * *

It had been three days since Kabuto found him lying in a field on the borders of the land of rice, covered in blood and sweat and chunks of stinking flesh. He had only spoken two words since then; two words spoken when Kabuto asked him if he was all right.

"The blood." Sasuke's hoarse voice barely managed to utter it; it seemed he was choking upon the words as they fell from his lips.

The silver haired man had not said a thing after that. He just picked Sasuke up and carried him to god only knows where this hideout was. Sasuke didn't care though. He couldn't bring himself to care about anything except the blood.

Blood, blood, blood, blood, blood.

He could smell it in his nostrils, taste it in his mouth, and the feeling, it was the feeling that was the worst. He could feel the blood caked against his skin, smeared all over his body like war paint.

For three whole days he had spent every waking moment scrubbing and scratching at his skin, trying to wash away the blood. But it clung to him. It was soaked into his flesh.

_It's not my blood._

That's what drove him mad. When he had seen his reflection in the water after fighting Naruto, all he could see was red. It was everywhere. On his face, clothes, his hands.

_Not my blood._

He could remember every detail of the battle. He tried and tried to forget, to force himself to stop thinking about it, but his Sharingan had forever burnt it into his mind.

Now he just sat in his windowless room, staring at his reflection in the mirror. The dim, fluorescent light cast dark shadows upon his features, but it did little to hide his glowing red eyes. He hadn't been able to deactivate his Sharingan since the battle. It was exhausting to keep them active constantly, forcing him to close his eyes as often as possible.

Three consecutive knocks interrupted Sasuke's depressed brooding. He didn't answer; he didn't even blink in response, he just kept on staring into his reflection.

The door creaked open behind him, and Sasuke could see half of Kabuto's face reflected in the mirror.

"Orochimaru wants to see you."

Sasuke closed his eyes. His body felt old and tired. Chakra exhaustion had taken its toll on his pallid flesh.

"Take these," Kabuto said, as he dropped a few pills on the table by the door. "They are a form of chakra steroid that will help us in expanding your reserves and refining your chakra control. You will need it if you hope to gain control over the Mangekyo."

Sasuke's eyes flashed open at that, angrily staring at Kabuto's reflection in the mirror. The sudden killing intent surprised Kabuto enough that he almost knocked over the glass of water he was setting on the table, next to the pills.

Sasuke turned towards Kabuto, his Sharingan's tomoe swirled madly, melding together to form the Mangekyo. These eyes were what made his brother so strong. They were what gave him the ability to slaughter the entire Uchiha clan. They were raw, unadulterated power. Itachi never needed to use medication to control them, and now that he possessed them, he would not – he _could_ not – use pills to expedite his way to power.

"I am an Uchiha. I do not need _steroids._" Sasuke spat out, abruptly rising to his feet. "These eyes, _my_ eyes, are born of sin and hate and blood. They are power forged from murder, tempered in hate and hardened by sacrifice." Sliding his hands into his pockets, the Sasuke strode past Kabuto and out the door.

"Fear them as your pathetic master fears death, for their power is one and the same."

* * *

_Thump!_

"Ow!" Naruto breathed out, hissing air in through his teeth as he rubbed the bump on his head. He had sat up to fast and hit his head on… someone else's head.

"Shizune?" He muttered. Great, he was still in the hospital. Damn, he hated this place.

"Na-Naruto-san!" The medical-nin backed away, rubbing her head with one hand while she clung onto her clipboard with the other. "You're finally awake! I was afraid you might stay knocked out for another month or two!"

"Nani!" Naruto exclaimed in surprise, "I've been out for a month!"

Shizune nodded. "Just over 6 weeks actually."

Naruto groaned. Sasuke's trail would have gone cold long before now. He could be anywhere.

Shizune straighten, her face turning serious. "I'd better get Tsunade-sama. She'll want to know you're awake." Leaning back in, she gave Naruto a hug, before walking briskly out the door.

"A month?" Naruto repeated to himself. When he was in the seal it had felt like only five or six days had passed, a week tops. Thinking back to what Minato said when they first started training he realized what his father had meant.

"_In here your learning curve will be maxed, allowing you to advance at an inhuman pace. But there is a cost. Time outside the seal will pass by much more quickly than it does in here…_"

Naruto just assumed he meant a few days faster, not an entire 5 weeks! Tossing his blanket to the side, Naruto grabbed the handful of wires taped to his chest and ripped them off.

"Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-"

"Huh?" Naruto clueless looked over at a screen that was next to his bed, its speakers wailed relentlessly now that the wires monitoring his condition were no longer telling them he had a heartbeat.

"Oh." Looking back at his arm he grabbed the base of the I.V. needle and slowly slid it out. Finally free of the clutter of medical crap formally plugged into him, Naruto jumped off the bed and shrugged off the white medical gown, tossing it against the wall.

Just as Tsunade ran into the room, with Shizune right on her heels.

Naruto froze, butt naked. His headed darted towards the gown he so carelessly threw across the room, as if he could somehow take back the hasty action.

"Um," Edging back towards the bed, he grabbed the sheet off it and wrapped it around his waist. "Where are my clothes?"

Tsunade resisted the urge to laugh. She had been so worried that he might never wake up, and now here he was, walking around, butt naked.

"You have none. When you showed up here just over a month ago your clothes wear torn to bits."

"Oh. " Naruto pouted. "Well you don't suppose this place has any pants lying around? I really hate those gowns."

"We have scrubs for the nurses to wear; you will have to wear some of those until we find you something else. We have a few different colors, chose your pick."

Naruto suddenly became very serious, catching Tsunade off guard.

"They don't have orange do they?"

She broke out laughing.

"Nooo nooo no. Just grey, blue and pink."

"Oh. Uh, blue is ok I guess." Naruto walked over to the bathroom, mumbling something about nurses being color blind and him needing to piss really, really bad.

Tsunade smiled, he seemed to be the same Naruto she remembered. She had been worried he might have been traumatized for the obvious reasons. Turning to Shizune, she sent her to get Naruto a set of scrubs, lest he end up dropping the sheet and embarrassing himself again.

"Oi," Naruto called from the bathroom. She could hear the steady stream of urine splashing into the toilet. He had left the door open. She flushed red at his lack of decency.

"I need to talk to you about what happened in the seal, you know, after the whole fight with Sasuke."

That caught Tsunade off guard. She was going to ask him about it after he had a chance to see his friends and let them know he was okay. It never occurred to her he would bring it up himself.

She heard the toilet flush and the faucet start running.

"The reason the Kyuubi was sealed into me in was to prepare my body to handle the other half of my soul, or something like it. Anyways, the point was to give me the ability to use Fullbring. It'd tell you all about it, and the seal, but the stuff that the forth-I mean the stuff that dad said was really complicated. So it would be a lot easier if I just showed you." Naruto walked back into the room, fixing the sheet around his waist so he didn't have to hold it up.

Feeling around his chest, Naruto's fingers closed around the crystal gem that hung there. Pulling the necklace up and over his head, Naruto gripped the gem tightly.

"Dad said that it's easier to manipulate the soul of something we have a certain affinity for, something that holds meaning to us. Said it helps the soul of the object connect with the soul of the user, or something like that. The necklace you gave me was the first thing I thought of. He was pretty impressed when he saw it to. Something about it being a powerful object to begin with." Closing his eyes, Naruto held his arm outstretch, fist closed around the crystal gem.

He focused, trying to sense the soul contained within it. Letting the world fall away for a moment - all sound, feeling, thoughts – he tried to relax his mind and sense the soul, the life that existed within everything.

At first he was overwhelmed when his 'mind's eye', as his dad called it, was bombarded by the massive number of souls that existed within the room. There were so many tools and objects screaming their existence to the world. How could he have been unable to sense this before?

Breathing deep, he tried to focus on the soul of the necklace. Its familiar shape and pulse called out to him. Making a bit of his soul resonate at the same frequency, he pushing it into the necklace, using his soul to change the soul of the object.

A hollow pop could be heard, and the necklace flashed with internal light. When the light dissipated, necklace was gone. In its place Naruto held a long thin katana. Its blade was the same grey green the crystal had been, though noticeably darker. Its handle was black, wrapped in white-grey cloth. The blade's guard was wrapped in the same cloth, with several spiky protrusions sticking out right below the blade. A length of wirey string, hung from the base of the hilt, two silvery metal charms hanging from it.

Tsunade stared at him, slack jawed, eyes wide with disbelief. When Jiraiya described Fullbring to her, he said it gave the user the ability to manipulate the souls within objects for varying affects. Jiraiya had admitted that the knowledge what it was truly capable of had been lost through the centuries. The only reason he and Minato tried so hard to recreate it was because it was rumored to be The Sage of The Six Paths most powerful ability, the six and final 'path'. She had been skeptical, never expecting Naruto to be able to affect an object on this level.

"Cool right?" Naruto tossed the sword in the air, catching it with his other hand. "The level at which I can change an object depends on how closely I can match my soul's wavelength to the soul of the object in the moment I wish to affect it. Once that initial connection is made, I can alter it by bending its soul."

Naruto pulled his soul out of the object, its form dissolving in a flash of light as it reverted to the First Hokage's necklace. He carefully hung it back around his neck.

"This is amazing." Tsunade breath out, still a bit awed by the display of power. "I will place you in Kenjutsu training immediately to help you become more skilled with a sword. I think Fuma Nodachi would be our best option. He was a good friend of your fathers, and I think you know his daughter, TenTen."

Naruto thought for a moment. "She's that girl on Neji's team, right? She was pretty good with weapons."

The slug user smirked smartly at that, "She may be good, but her dad is the best. Be it close, mid or long range weapons, he has mastered it. The man could pin a fly to a tree from a mile away with a Spork. I'll arrange for you to meet with him tomorrow."

Naruto silently mouthed wow at that, before grinning madly. He always wanted to learn how to fight with a sword.

"Oh, I almost forgot, when you leave you need to stop by the Hyuuga compound."

Naruto blinked in surprise. "The Hyuuga compound? You sure? Ever since the stink bomb incident they have been pretty good at keeping me out. "

Tsunade sweat dropped.

"Stink bomb incident? Do I even want to know?" Pinching the bridge of her nose between her forefinger and thumb, Tsuande closed her eyes. "Forget I asked. Yes I'm sure. Hiashi wanted to see you when you woke up. He's a council member and I don't want him giving me any gripe, so you better be there. I'll send a messenger ahead letting him know you are on your way."

"Whaaaat? You want me to go now? I'm half naked! And shouldn't you give me a physical or something? You know, make sure it's all working?"

Tsunade laughed at that. "Physical? What do you think we have been doing for the past month? You have had every test known to mankind run on you. Aside from the fact you have, effectively, two sets of chakra coils you are perfectly healthy."

Shizune popped her head in from behind the door. "Sorry for taking so long, they were all out of blue…and grey." She stepped into the room the rest of the way, tossing a bundle of bright pink clothing at a reluctant Naruto.

Naruto visibly paled. "Pink? Of course they only had pink."

He wasn't sure what was worse, wearing this or the sheet. As if in answer, the sheet took that moment to fall in a pile around his feet, leaving him stark naked once more.

"Why me?"

* * *

Hinata was, for lack of a better term, wigging out. Her father had just informer her that Naruto was not only out of his coma, but stopping by for tea. She was supposed to make the tea! She hoped Naruto liked it. Why couldn't she calm down?

_Because my father is having my crush over for tea._ That's why. Her dad never had anyone over for anything unless they were very important or very wealthy, and while Naruto was important to her she couldn't see what would make her father want to invite a penniless genin over to their house.

Franticly flinging articles of clothing across her room she tried to find something that would impress Naruto.

Why didn't she own anything orange?

Falling back onto her bed Hinata just laid there for a few moments. She had been planning her meeting with Naruto for over a month, and now that she was finally going to see him she had no idea what she would say. All those proclamations of love, the heartfelt confessions she had so carefully planned, forgotten.

"Hinata, Naruto has arrived at the gates. Put on the kimono I bought you for your birthday last year. Once you're dressed make some tea and join us."

"Alright father!"

Rolling off her bed, she took a look in her closet. Father was telling her what to wear? He never told her what to wear, usually trusting her to dress appropriately for whatever the event was. That made her even more nervous. She found the silk kimono at the back of her closet, it was dark indigo with silver stars and a crescent moon embroidered upon its fabric. Carefully slipping it on, she looked at herself in the mirror, fixing her hair and putting on some make up. It felt weird on her face, she only wore makeup when she had to go to political events or her father had someone over.

Time for her to make some tea.

Naruto was anxious. The first thing he did after leaving the hospital was borrow some money from Tsunade so he could buy some decent clothing. She told him he had to dress up, as the Hyuuga's we a noble family, and it wasn't every day you got _invited_ (more like summoned) over.

He wore an oversized white button up shirt, slacks, and black tie with faint orange pinstripes. He couldn't find a nice pair of shoes to save his live though, so he was wearing a pair of blue shinobi sandals that obviously didn't match the rest of the outfit. He looked and felt ridiculous. What made it worse was how stifling the damnable outfit was, and the sun on his back didn't help matters much. By the time he reached Hiashi's house, he had his top three buttons unbuttoned, his tie loosened, and had his sleeves pulled up to his elbows, all in an attempt to cool off.

"We're here." The guard stopped, motioning towards a large manor.

"Holy shi-" Naruto breathed out. This place was bigger than his entire apartment complex!

Naruto walked hesitantly up to the door. Hand clenching and unclenching nervously, he finally found the balls to form a fist and knock. A little girl opened the door. Dressed in a white kimono with pink flowers, she bowed to him, before stepping to the side.

"Come in."

Naruto gulped, running his fingers through his hair as he stepped inside. The room was massively big. Tall, swooping staircases stood to his left and to his right, a large crystal chandelier dangled from the ceiling, and numerous paintings hung upon the walls.

"Follow me." The girl walked across the room, opening a large wooden door with brass knobs. "Father is just inside."

Naurto nodded, walking forward. The room was surprisingly small. After seeing the rest of the house, Naruto expected something much larger, showier. This room felt more comfortable, allowing him to relax. Hiashi sat before him, on a mat across from a short table.

"I'm sure you are wondering why I called you here. Please, sit."

Naruto moved to the mat on the ground across from Hiashi, nodding in response.

"Then let me get straight to the point. Ever since the first great shinobi war there have been prophecies made. All of them mention a child, one who would either bring peace to the world or destroy it. When Konoha was founded, an organization was formed, dedicated to finding this child and helping him on his path to peace. Both of your parents," Hiashi waved his hand towards Naruto as he said your, emphasizing the word, "were former members of this organization."

"Yeah, the forth- I mean dad told me." Naruto was still not use to calling the Forth Hokage dad. It was weird saying the word after living his whole life without one.

"Jiraiya said he probably sealed part of his soul into the seal. That means I don't have to cover all the basics. I doubt he told you everything though. When Jiraiya was younger, it was foretold that he would be the one to train the child of the prophecy. Thus, many of us thought Minato to be the one to bring peace. For a while even Minato believed it. But that was before the Third Great Shinobi War."

Hiashi closed his eyes, recollecting the events that happened so long ago, "He was sent on a mission with his team, Kakashi, Obito and Rin. Their goal was to destroy a bridge that played a crucial role in delivering supplies to our enemies. During the mission, he was separated from his team, and Obito was killed. He had always been close to his students, speaking of their success as a proud father would speak his children.

"Enraged by his death, your father slaughtered the Ninja responsible, before using his Flying Thunder God technique to teleport himself just outside of Hidden Rock. Blaming the entire country for the death of his student, he unleashed a forbidden ninjutsu he had designed for grand scale slaughter, for use only on the battlefield. Tens of thousands of kunai, each bearing the mark of his Flying Thunder God ninjutsu, rained down upon rock. That initial attack alone was enough to kill hundreds of civilians and lower ranking ninja. Then, in a battle that lasted less under a minute, he teleported to each location, killing anyone and everyone he saw. Over three thousand were killed, literally, in a flash. That single battle ended the war. With Hidden Rock begging for peace, the other nations soon followed. The act is what earned him the title Hokage. After, Minato withdrew from our group, refusing to believe he could ever bring peace after causing so much death.

"The rest of his life he spent dedicated to recreating Fullbring. I believe it was his intention to give you the ability that you might become the child of the prophecy."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow. "What are you saying? You think I'm supposed to bring peace to the world or something? I'm just a genin. I'm not even a jinchuuriki anymore."

"But have you not trained under Jiraiya?" Hiashi asked, smirking matter'o'factly.

"Well yeah! But who says these prophecies even mean anything? With all do respect, I'm more concerned with saving my teammate than saving the world."

The clan head sighed, his demeanor becoming more serious. "Look, I'm not saying you are the child of the prophecy, but right now you are our best bet. It's not just me saying this, Jiraiya has been telling all of our most prominent members about you. We firmly believe that you could be the one. You're the son of two of the strongest ninja Konoha has ever known. You posses an ability not seen since the Sage of Six Paths! And, from what Jiraiya has been telling us, you not only mastered the Rasengan in under a week, but you can summon the toad boss Gamabunta. Not to mention the fact that your chakra reserves border the ridiculous, far surpassing even the Hokage! The truth is you possess great potential. We simply want to nurture that potential."

Naruto looked incredulous. "Ok, what, you want to train me?"

Hiashi shook his head. "Not me specifically. There are other members better suited for your training. My contribution to the group has always been more politically based. That is where I hope to be of help to you."

Naruto blinked comically. "Politics? Why would I get involved in that?"

"Naruto, you whether you want it or not, people will believe you are the child of the prophecy. That alone gives you influence. Word of your lineage has already reach most of the higher ups. This makes you an even bigger player in this game. I would not put it past some of them to leak the information to the enemy in the hoped of having you…_removed._" Hiashi frowned, thinking of Danzo in particular.

"As things stand now, you have no strings attached to any of the major players. None of them have sunk their claws into you, yet. The only way to keep you safe from them is to make them think you have already thrown your lot in with someone else. While they may still approach you with offers of power or money, they won't risk harming you if you are being backed by me."

Naruto scratched his head as he thought it over. "What exactly do you mean?"

"Well, we need to show them that you are loyal to the Hyuuga, and that I have something invested in you. That is harder than it sounds. The smaller the investment, the less risk there is for them get involved. That means we need to do something big."

Naruto nodded in understanding that made sense. "Did you have something in mind?"

Now it was Hiashi's turn to feel nervous. The older man had no idea how Naruto would take this next bit."Yes, that is where my daughter Hinata comes in. She is my first born, which means she is next in line to become clan head." Hiashi stopped there, hoping Naruto would stumble upon the conclusion for himself.

"Um, what, you want me to be her body guard or something?"

Hiashi groaned internally. So much for Naruto 'stumbling upon the conclusion himself', he would have to come right out and say it. "No, I'm afraid that wouldn't be enough to keep them at bay. I was thinking something along the lines of betrothal."

The gears within Naruto's mind slowly clunked along as tried to wrap his brain around what had just been said. "Huh? Like-like marriage?" The confused blond managed to stutter out.

"No, no. Not right away. A betrothal can last years and years, you are not even legally old enough for marriage. By the time you reach the age where a wedding could be considered you can break it off, if you so desire. Just, right now, it is the safest way for us to keep you safe. No one would dare mess with you if you are engaged to the heir of Konoha's most powerful clan. It was Jiraiya's idea. It also helps that my daughter already likes you. She will not protest, which means all we need is for you to agree to it."

Naruto was so zoned out he didn't register a knock at the door.

"Come in."

Hinata walked demurely into the room, a tea tray held close to her to keep anything from fall off. Her small frame trembled in nervous excitement when she saw Naruto sitting across from her father. Moving quickly to the table she poured a cup for her both her father and Naruto, setting their cups in front of them respectively, before she knelt on the mat to the right of her father.

"Hai, Naruto-san." Hinata's voice knocked Naruto out of his thoughts, forcing him to register her presence.

"Oh, hey Hinata." Naruto grabbed the teacup off the saucer in front of him, knocking back all of its contents in one swig. The thing was scalding hot, but he hardly noticed. He was so used to gulping down bowls of ramen just as hot that it failed to faze him anymore.

"Um, Hinata-chan." Naruto added the suffix nervously, "Your dad and I were just talking about this betrothal thing. Like, between you and me. Just wondering what your thoughts were on that."

All the blood in Hinata's small body rushed to her face, and she promptly passed out.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Not much to say. I'm trying to write more regularly. The entire thing felt a bit rushed, but I hope you all enjoyed it. Expect chapter five within a month. Hinata is obviously part of the harem, as is Sakura (most likely at least). Vote for others you want to include or exclude.

If you have any suggestions or ideas, feel free to shoot them my way. The story is pretty flexible right now, and I LOVE feedback, so don't hesitate.

A big thanks to eltigre221 for beta reading this chapter.


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